John Pitlick’s research focuses on linkages between surface-water hydrology and geomorphology in high-gradient river systems. The primary objective of this work is to develop a more complete understanding of the coupling between rivers and their surrounding landscapes. Field work is an important component of his research; the strategy used in many projects is to integrate field data with modeling techniques to quantify the effects of sediment transport on the natural functioning of river systems, often at spatial scales >100 km. Several past projects, done in collaboration with aquatic ecologists, have focused on the role of fluvial-hydraulic processes in modifying habitats for fish and benthic organisms. He has worked extensively in Colorado, also in the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rocky Mountains and the French Alps. He is also the co-director of the Graduate Program in Hydrologic Sciences at CU-Boulder.